Why is calling a toll-free number from Skype a big deal? I mean, can’t you just pick up your landline and call that 800 number for free? Well sure, if you’re in the same country. What if I was abroad and wanted to call a place by it’s 800 number, which I have memorized, but don’t want to pay the associated long distance charges from the remote country? I could use Skype for this now.

Meanwhile, as a relatively new user on Skype, I don’t have too many people to “talk” to (Hi, Andy . The ability to call an 800 number provides the ability to try Skype “risk free” without spending any money or bugging a total stranger. I remember using Free World DIalup in the same manner way back when. Not only does it give you a sense of VoIP to PSTN connectivity, it gives you a sense of VoIP on the whole. Even though you’re connected to the PSTN, you still have to deal with the client-side experience, e.g. can you find the mute button, does the audio sound right, etc.

In short, it provides far more interesting ways for people to “experiment” with VoIP risk-free. And it doesn’t cost Skype hardly everything. It may be a play out of someone else’s playbook, but that doesn’t mean it’s not smart. It’s very smart. Hopefully, Skype can expand the toll-free calling to more countries.